Hon. (Engr) Adekunle Olayinka: A Colossus Traversing The Professional And Political Terrains

Engr. Adekunle Olayinka was born barely five decades ago to the family of Olayinka with maternal root from the Zannu family, Ikoga Zebbe in Badagry, Lagos State.

An astute Engineer of over twenty-four (24) years post qualification experience, Engr. Olayinka has successfully carved a niche for himself over the years as a towering professional and political juggernaut.

Presently a PhD student (Public Administration) at the Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State, he holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA 2015) from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State.

His insatiable quest for knowledge also took him to several other international higher institutions and professional bodies.

For example, in 2007, he bagged a Post-Graduate Diploma in Strategic Business Information Technology at the Informatics Global Education, Singapore, leading to an award of M.Sc. in Strategic Business Information Technology at University of Portsmouth, UK.

In 2009, he was at Salvo Singapore, Johannesburg centre in South Africa, for certificate in Project Financial Evaluation for Engineers, among others.

After his mandatory one-year service (NYSC) to his fatherland at the Nigerian Ports Authority, Calabar, Cross River State in 1998, Engr. Olayinka served as the pioneer Engineer (High Level Support Engineer – Ag. Switch Manager) at Mobile Telecommunications Nigeria (MTN GSM Multinational Company) between 2001 and 2004.

After his stint as Ericsson International Telecoms Consultant (expatriate) to Asia, East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa between 2004 to 2010, he pressed on until he became the Director of Planning and Strategy at the South African College of Business and Technology, Pretoria, South Africa.

In his foray into politics, Engr. Olayinka has contributed in no small measure to the overall political development of Lagos State in particular, and to Nigeria in general.

His uncommon commitment to the development of his party (All Progressive Congress – APC) has compelled him to serve in several committees and leadership positions on the platform of his party.

For example, he was the secretary of the APC Lagos State Local Government Election Committee in 2017; Member, APC Lagos State Congress Planning Committee in 2018; Member, APC Lagos Governorship Election Strategic Committee in 2019; Member, National APC Registration/Revalidation Committee, Osun State in 2021; Chairman, APC Lagos State Congress Planning/Support Committee in 2021, among others.

No doubt, Engr. Olayinka has a chequered career in public service, rising to the post of Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters to His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State (Nov. 2015 to 2019); and the exalted office as the Special Adviser to Mr. Governor of Lagos State on Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (South West Affairs), Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu (Feb. 2020 to date), among others.

Engr. Olayinka is exemplary in so many ways: he is hardworking, selfless, humble and trustworthy. His belief in peaceful co-existencce is unparalleled; hence he is the C.E.O and founder of Kunle Olayinka Peace Initiative “KOPI.”

His selflessness and passion for service to humanity at local and international level earned him the global honour of Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, the world’s foremost service organization that is reknown to have aided the writing of the UNITED NATIONS charter.

Hon. (Engr) Adekunle Olayinka is happily married and blessed with children.